A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a moldable starch composition for use in an injection molding device to produce capsules. The present invention utilizes starch made from corn wheat, potatoes, rice, tapioca and the like. Said types of starch have a usual molecular mass range of 10,000 to 20,000,000 Dalton.
The starch contains about 0 to 100% of amylose, and about 100 to 0% of amylo-pectin; preferably 0 to 70% of amylose, and about 95 to 10% of amylo-pectin and most preferably potato starch and maize starch.
Hydrophilic polymers are polymers with molecular masses from approximately 10.sup.3 to 10.sup.7 Dalton carrying molecular groups in their backbone and/or in their side chains and capable of forming and/or participating in hydrogen bridges. Such hydrophilic polymers exhibit in their water adsorption isotherm (in the temperature range between approximately 0 to 200 degrees C.) and inflection point close to the water activity point at 0.5.
Hydrophilic polymers are distinguished from the group called hydrocolloids by their molecular dispersity of said hydrophilic polymers a fraction of water--according to the working range of the present invention--of 5 to 30% by weight of said hydrophilic polymers must be included provided that the temperature of said hydrophilic polymers is in the working range between 80 degrees C. and 240 degrees C. of the present invention.
It is a primary object of the present invention to utilize starch compositions in the production of injection molded products, especially capsules.